France’s ‘unique’ hoops grassroots program key to NBA success, says Joakim Noah

MANILA, Philippines – In recent years, France has worked to establish itself among developers of top basketball talent, and this was made even more apparent in the recently concluded 2024 NBA Draft, where three French prospects were drafted in the Top 10 — the first time in history that it happened.

After just six picks, three different French players — Zaccharie Risacher (No. 1), Alex Sarr (No. 2), and Tidjane Salaun (No. 6) — made history for their country as it became the first time ever that a country other than the United States produced three of the Top 10 picks in an NBA draft.

With basketball growing more internationally, especially in Europe, former French national team player Joakim Noah bared his thoughts on why this happened.

Having lived in France early on in his life, Noah said that it primarily had to do with how the French developed their young players.

“I think it’s interesting, you know? Being able to travel the world now as an ambassador of the game, you know, I’m going to all these different places around the world, and I lived in France for a while. So I understand, kind of, the grass roots system,” said Noah during his trip to Manila for NBA Philippines.

“It’s very unique in a sense that you know, the professional teams have youth teams as well. So, I think that that’s one of the reasons the kids are able to see the older generations every step of the way, and that’s why I think France is having all this success in all the youth coming into the NBA.”

Noah himself played youth basketball in France, suiting up for teams at the Levallois Sporting Club in Paris. He also ended up winning a silver medal with the French national team in EuroBasket 2011 in Lithuania.

Apart from Noah, France has produced multiple NBA players in the past — most notably four-time NBA champion Tony Parker of the Spurs, but also has players that are still active in the sport like Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama.

As talent continues to pile up, Noah believes that the French can go toe-to-toe with the best of the best not just in the NBA but in the international scene as well.

With the 2024 Paris Olympics looming, the two-time NBA All-Star believes there is a lot to be excited for.

“Well we’re hoping for the best. You know, there’s gonna be a lot of talent playing, I’m also excited for France. I'm excited for my brother Luol Deng as well, who I played with, who is representing the youngest country in the world, South Sudan,” said Noah. 

“So, you know, he was building the first basketball courts in the country and now they get to represent South Sudan in the Olympics. It's a very beautiful story and you know, the USA, obviously, is gonna be really tough as well, so there will be a lot of talent in the upcoming Olympics.”